Fountain pen



0a. 1 4, v1947. R. T. WING FOUNTAIN PEN Filed 001;. 27, 1945' llllrlhuunl.

Patented Oct. 14, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOUNTAIN PEN Russell T. Wing, Excelsior, Minn.

Application October 27, 1945, Serial No. 624,994

Y (ci. 12o-4s) is Claims. 1

This invention relates to fountain pens and it has to do more particularly with fountain pens embodying filling mechanisms of the type having a so-called breather tube as disclosed in United States Letters Patent Nos. 1,904,358 and 2,223.541 granted on April 18, 1933, and December 3, 1940, to Arthur O. Dahlberg and Marlin S. Baker, respectively, to the feeding and filling mechanisms thereof.

The general object of my invention is to provide a fountain pen of the foregoing character having provision for preventing leaking and flooding, and particularly a fountain pen well suited for use in airplane travel,

In fountain pens of the foregoing character, the breather tube is connected to the ink feed mechanism of the pen and acts to allow air to escape from the reservoir during the filling process as described in the aforementioned patents. When such pens are lled and are carried in an upright (writing point up) position, the free end of the breather tube is submerged in the ink; and in that case at high altitudes, as in airplane travel, it has been found that the differences in pressure between the air trapped in the reservoir of the pen and the outside atmosphere will cause a discharge of ink from the pen through the breather tube'even though the pen may be equipped with an overflow ink collector device or ink feed governor of the type shown in said Baker Patent No. 2,223,541 or my prior U, S. Patent No. 2,187,528, dated January 16, 1940.

A further object of my invention is to provide a filling mechanism having a breather tube so constructed and associated with the feed mechanism ofthe pen that after the filling operation, free venting of air from the reservoir may occur when the pen is carried with the point end up to provide for release of air from the reservoir should its pressure tend to become excessively higher than the outside atmosphere, as in the case of high altitude airplane travel, and which tube is adapted automatically to perform its usual function of permitting air to be forced from the reservoir upon actuation of the filling mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide a filling mechanism of the type above described in which the breather tube operates in conjunction with a collector device of the type above described and permits equalization of pressure between the air within thereservoir and the atmosphererwithout interfering with the in- 2 tended and eflicient functioning of either the collector device or the filling mechanism.v

A further object of the invention is to provide a filling mechanism having a pressure compensating breather tube ,associated therewith and which mechanism is, ywhen used with-a collector type ink feed, adapted to insure withdrawal of ink from the collector as an'incident to the attachment of the rear end cover `cap to the pen. y y y The invention further consists inthe several features hereinafter set vforth and more partieularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings:

' Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional View through a fountain pen embodying the invention andv il-l lustrating the parts in their normal writing condition. j

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view inV longitudinal sec'- tion illustrating a stage of operation of themechanism employed in carrying out this invention;

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2 illustrating another stage in the operation; n

Fig. 4 yis a detailed perspective View of a latch member forming a `part of the novel mechanism; A y Y Fig. 5 is al vertical sectional View taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 3; v

Fig. 6 Vis a Vertical sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 3; and n Fig. 'l is a fragmentary view illustrating a modication of the breather tube.

Referring to the drawings, the pen includesva tubular barrel I of suitable plastic material having an externallythreaded reduced barrel exftension 8, an internally threaded rear end `t) and bore I0 forming an ink reservoir I2.

The ink feed mechanism includesan overflow ink collector I3, a tubular pen nib I4, a feed bar I5, and an outerl shell I6, all connected to the forward barrel extension 8. The ink collector I3 is adapted to embrace and support the tubular nib I4 and the feed bar I5, and these parts are adapted to be assembled as a unit vin the bore II of the barrel. Parts I3, I4, I5', and

I6 are formed, constructed, and arranged sim-V ilarly to parts v3l), 3l, 32, and 33 ofthe aforementioned Baker Patent No. 2,223,541 and function in a similar manner to control the owof ink from the pen. The only change in detail of the present construction of the parts above described over said prior patent has been lengthening of the shank 31 of the collector and a continuation of the narrow slit 40 of the said Baker patent completely across the reduced ydi-y 3 ameter portion of the collector and indicated herein by numeral I'I.

The filling mechanism includes a breather tube c I8 which unlike that of said Baker patent is not carried by or fixedly mounted in the feed bar I5 but is mounted to slide in the bore I3 therein and also to slide in the bore 26 of the shank of the collector Which is mounted in the bore II. Furthermore tube I8 is adapted to be moved during the filling operation by i-ts connection with a displaceable member or exible diaphragm 2I which cooperates with the barrel bore I0 to form a reservoir of expansible chamber type. The diaphragm 2I comprises a thin disk of rubber or other suitable .inkproof flexible material which is clamped at its outer edges between the tapered surfaces 22 and 23 of concentrically disposed sleeves 24 and 25. The sleeve 24 has a tight fit against a shoulder 2G in the barrel and the sleeve 25 has -a shoulder 2"I engaged by a sleeve clamping nut 28 having a threaded portion 23a engaging the threaded end 9 of the barrel and having a threaded outer end 28h to fit the internally threaded end 29 of a plunger cover cap 30. The nut 28 provides the requisite clamping pressure to firmly Wedge the outer edge portion of the diaphragm between the tapered yportions 22 and 23 to form a fluid type joint.

For moving the displaceable member 2I and the breatherl tube |8,a hollowH tubular plunger 3l is slidably mounted in the bores of the nut 28 and the sleeve 25 and is connected at its inner end with the central portion of the diaphragm 2| and the rear end 32 of the breather tube by forming said rear end 32 as a ball shaped portion engaging the central portion of the diaphragm and clamped with it Ibetween the inner fianged end 33 of `the plunger and a plug 34 having a pressed t in the plunger. AThe breather tube I8 has an opening 35 at its rear or back end and an opening 36 adjacent its front, which openings vprovide passages through which air may -fiovv in orrout of the reservoir I2. With the construction above described (and assuming that means including a spring 39 which will be hereinafter described permit return of the plunger), the reciprocation of the plunger 3I by the operator causes the displaceable member 2l to exert a suction effect in the reservoir I2 and in this Way draw ink through the ink feed mechanism and force air out of the reservoir through the breather tube I8, it being noted that during the movement of the breather tube from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 2 that the opening 3B in the feed end of the breather tube enters the bore 20 in the shank of the collector I3, also the bore lI3 in feed .bar I5, and is only exposed when the plunger reaches the end of its out stroke as shown in Fig. 1. Thus, due to the connection of the front end of the breather tube with the ink feed passage and due to the opening in the rear end of the breather tube connecting said tube with the reservoir, under normal filling operations, the breather tube acts as if it were fixed to the ink feed mechanism, and thus in a manner similar to the fixed breather tube of said Patent No. 2,223,541. However, due to the fact that when the plunger 3l is at the end of its out -or return stroke as shown in Fig. l, the opening 36 in the front end of the breather tube is exposed to any collection of air in the reservoir, such air, where the pen is held in an upright vertical position by a user who may be in a high altitude region will not have its pressure materially increased over the outside atmosphere at such altitude due to the fact that this opening provides a free venting of the air from the reservoir to the outside atmosphere. While the breather tube with the opening spaced somewhat from the front end as shown is provided, the extension from said opening is only for guiding purposes, it will, therefore, be understood that the same effect may be produced by making the breather tube shorter, so that, in the position of said tube as shown in Fig. 1, the front end of the breather tube will be just outside of the end of the bore 20 in the collector. Thus by providing a breather tube which may function normally during filling operations but Which may establish free venting connection with the atmosphere on the completion of the filling stroke, any tendency of air at a high pressure to be trapped in the reservoir under conditions of high altitude such as in airplane travel are prevented and, therefore, flooding or leakage of the pen under these conditions is prevented since under these conditions the air pressure in the upper portion of the reservoir cannot exert its force on the ink Within the reservoir to drive said inkout or up through the breather tube and into the feed mechanism of the pen,

Means are provided for preventing ink from rising by capillary action in the breather tube i8 when the pen is positioned with the point uppermost (as when carried in the pocket of the user) and being expelled through the feed. To this end the opening 33 preferably is made of suilicient size to break or interrupt the capillarity of the breather tube i3 at this point and thus ink is prevented from rising by capillary action beyond this point. In order to provide an opening of sufficient size Without unduly weakening the breather tube IB, the opening 36 may be made of oval form with its major axis parallel to the axis of the breather tube.

` With filling mechanism oi the type above described unless the operator 'through his manipulation of the plunger stops its movement short of its full stroke as he finishes the filling operation when the pen is Withdrawn from the ink, the co1- lector device or the collector I3 will or may b-e full of ink so that it cannot under these conditions perform the functions intended for it of preventing .flooding of the .pen due to expansion of air through the heating of the reservoir Walls or other circumstances that may act to produce a flow of ink from the reservoir to the collector device, and in order to obviate the operators special attention to the position of the plunger 3i during filling, means are here provided which in its general application form the subject matter of a separate application but which also acts in conjunction with the breather tube I 8 above described to provide a substantially leakproof pen construction. This mechanism includes means for automatically stopping or preventing the plunger 3l moving the full length of its stroke during the filling of the pen by the operator, and by reason of this cooperates with the breather tube i8 in keeping said tube during filling Within the opening 23 of the shank of the collector and further includes means controlled by the cover cap 3f,- for said plunger to release said stopping means to permit said plunger to complete its stroke and thus withdraw from said collector device any ink that may have collected in the collector device and at the same time move the breather tube to a position Where it will provide free venting of the reservoir of the filled pen.

In other words, the feature just referred to insures the proper reciprocatory relationship vbetween the breather tube I8 and collector I3 (breather tube |8`mounted in position to shut olf its opening 36 from the reservoir I2) during the filling operation; and further insures the proper positioning of the breather tube |8 (its opening 36 connected to the reservoir I2) at the end of the filling operation as Well as cleaning of the collector I3 for the purpose stated.

To the foregoing end, the plunger 3| has an upset connection 3'| with a fianged collar 38. The spring means for returning said plunger on its suction stroke includes a spring 39 interposed between the head 40 of a detent or latch 4| and a. key or bar 42 disposed in the diametrically disposed slots 43 in said plunger and is anchored at its ends in the sleeve 25 as at 44. The latch 4| has a latching blade or tongue 45 provided with a right-angled locking or stop shoulder 46 adapted during normal filling operations of the pen by the operator to engage the bar 42 and thus stop the movement of the plunger before it moves the full length of the slots 43 and before the breather tube I8 moves out of the bore 29 as shown in Fig. 3. Hence when the cap 39 is removed and the plunger 3| is forced inwardly against the opposing force of the spring 39 from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 2, the plunger travels the ful lengthof the slots 43 and for succeeding strokes in the ordinary filling of the pen the plunger travels from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 3, the plunger being moved outwardly by the spring 39 and held by the latch 4| in the partial stroke position shown in Fig. 3,

The latch 4| has an offset extension 5| Vbeyond the stop shoulder 46 which rides along under the bar 42 during movement of the plunger 3| between the positions shcwn in Figs. 1 and 3 respectively and thus maintains the latch 4| in position whereby the shoulder 48 engages the bar 42 when the plunger 3| is moved into the position shown in Fig. 3.

To permit release o-f the locked plunger 3| from its partially completed out return stroke position, the cover cap 3|] has a latch release member 4'1'in the form of an inwardly extending centrally disposed rod which as said cap is screwed onto the barrel nut 28 passes through opening 38a in the collar 38 and opening 49 in the head 4|I"of the latch 4| and enga-ges an inclined side or cam face 59 on latch member 4I, and in doing so cams the tongue 45 outwardly through the tilting of said head 49 relative to the collar 38 and thereby moves tongue 45 laterally relative to said bar `42 a distance sufficient -to release its shoulder 48 from said bar and allow spring 39 to move the plunger 3| to the end of its out stroke. In this way there is created a sufficient void in the reservoir to allow any ink that may have collected in the collector device I3 to be drawn into the reservoir. Thus the collector device |3 is cleared of ink, so that it may function as intended without any special manipulation Lof the filling ation as explained in said Dahlberg and BakerV` patents.

6. In Fig. 'l is illustrated a slight modification wherein the front end of breather tube I8 is cut away on one side in place of Vent opening 35. This affords a less restricted air passageway than opening 36 and for that reason may be more sat-y isfactory. However, the mode of operation is unchanged. l

I desire it to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to any particular form or arrangement of parts except as limited by the prior art and the appended claims.

I claim:

1, In a fountain pen having an ink reservoir and ink feed mechanism, filling mechanism for said reservoir which comprises a breather tube reciprocably mounted in said feed mechanism for venting air from said reservoir through said feed mechanism, air displacement means for reciprocating said breather tube, means for Venting air from said reservoir through the rearend of said breather tube only during the filling reciprocation of said breather tube and further through the forward end of said breather tube at the termination of said filling reciprocation with the pen in a point up position.

2. In a fountain pen having an ink reservoir and ink feed mechanism, filling mechanism for said reservoir Which comprises a breather tube reciprocably mounted in said feed mechanism for venting air from said reservoir through said feed mechanism, air displacement means for reciprocating said breather tube, means providing a nlling stroke of predetermined length for said breather tube, and means providing a longer stroke for said breather tube at the end of the lling operation, said breather tube having an opening in its rear end constantly connecting it to said reservoir and another opening in its forward end additionally connecting said breather tube to said reservoir only when said breather tube is given said longer stroke.

3. In a fountain pen having an ink reservoir and ink feed mechanism, filling mechanism for said reservoir including a breather tube reciprocably mounted in said feed mechanism and having an opening in its rear end and another opening in its forward end adapted to connect itfwith said reservoir, means for displacing air from said reservoir through said breather tube and adapted to reciprocate said breather tube, means so normally defining the limits of reciprocation of said breather tube that the forward opening therein is closed by said mechanism throughout the range of reciprocation, and means for moving said breather tube after filling of the pen to a position wherein said forward opening is connected to said reservoir for free venting of air therefrom when the penis ina point up position.

4. In a fountain pen having an inkreservoir and ink feed mechanism, filling mechanism for said reservoir including a displaceable member and a breather tube connected to said member,l

means for moving `said displaceable member and breather tubevv to' charge said reservoir, and means for moving said breather tube after the filling of the reservoir to'a position allowing free venting of air from said reservoir when the pen is held in a so-called point up position.

'5. In a fountain pen having an ink reservoir Vand ink. feed mechanism including an overflow tube to supplyink vto said reservoir, and meansy anea'sesf.

for'furthermoving"-said'breather tube and displac'eabl'e member after the filling of the pen t0- withdraw ink from said collector device and establish a-free'venting connection betweenV said reservoirand atmosphere whenrthe pen is held ina so-called point up position. i

6. In a fountain pen having an inkreservoir 7. In a lfountain pen having an ink reservoirA and ink feed mechanism including an overflow ink collector device; filling mechanism for said reservoir including a displaceable member and a breather tube connected therewith and operably connectable with said ink feed mechanism, means for moving said -displaceable member to supply ink tosaid reservoir while said b-reather tube is operativ-ely connected with said ink fed mechanism, and means for further moving said breather tube and displaceable member after the filling of the pento withdraw ink from said collector device,Y

and to disconnect the operative filling connection between said breather tube and ink feed mechanism.` A

8. In'a fountain penhaving an ink reservoir and ink feed mechanism, filling mechanism for said 'reservo-ir. including a movable breather tube having an opening therein adjacent the rear portionof the reservoir and an apertured front end operatively connected to said ink feed mechanism f during the filling of the pen, and means for movingthe apertured front end of said tube after the filling of the pen to a position operatively free of said ink feed mechanism to allow free venting-of air from said-reservoir when the pen isin a so-called point up position.

9.--In a fountain pen having anY ink reservoir and ink feed mechanism including a feed bar and a pen nib supplied with ink from said feed bar, filling mechanism for said reservoir including'a movable breather tube operatively connectable with said feed bar during the filling of the penand disconnectable therefrom after filling t0 allow free venting of air from said reservoir when the pen isV in a point up position, and operatorv controlled means formoving said tube and for displacing air therethrough from said reservoir.

10. In a fountain pen having an ink reservoir and ink feed mechanism including a feed bar, afcollector and a pen nib supplied from said collector and feedl bar, filling mechanism for said reservoir including a movable breather tube operatively connectable with said feed bar and collector during the filling of the pen and disconnectable therefrom after filling to allow free venting of air from said reservoir, and operator controlled meanslfor moving `said tube and effective to displace air from said reservoir and to withdraw ink from said collector at the end of the filling operation.

11. In a fountain pen having an ink reservoir,`

aiplunger cover cap, and ink feed mechanism including a collector device, filling mechanism for saidgeservoir including 'a displaceable memben anbreather tube connected-thereto and alman-- ually movable spring-returned plunger,` means for limiting thereturnstroke of said plungerwhile said breather tube is operatively associated with said inkl feed mechanism, and means oper-- able on the attachment of said cap after the fill-1 ing of vthe pen to further move said plunger to Withdraw ink from said collector and disconnect# said breather tube from feeding co-nnectioniwith said ink feed mechanism to allow free venting of air' from said-reservoir when the pen-is in a point up position.

12. In a fountain pen-having an-ink reservoir, a plunger cover cap and ink feed mechanism in-l cluding a collector device, filling mechanism for said reservoir including a displaceable memberf" a breather tube connected thereto, and a manual ly movable spring returned plunger, releasable* stop means for limiting the returnstroke of said plunger to maintain said breather tube in operative connection with said ink feed mechanismf during filling, and means on said cap for releasing said stop means when the cap is attached to j the penA to allow further movement of said plunger to withdraw ink from said collector de" vice and disconnect said breather tube from feeding connection with said ink feed mechanism to allow free venting of air from said reservoir when the pen is in a point up position.

i3. In a fountain pen of the type describedv comprising a barrel enclosing an inkreservoir, ink feed means in communication with said reservoir, a breather tube connected with the feed means and Aextending lengthwise of the barrelj within the reservoir and providing a breather passageway for discharge of air from therear of said reservoir through said feed means to the exterior of the pen, a reciprocating air displacement member having a plunger within said barrel and reciprocable lengthwise thereof 'to vary the effective volume of said reservoir. said feed i voir, said mechanism comprising a device oneral tive to restrain said plunger against full backward retraction but permitting partial retraction thereof, and means operative to actuate said device to enable full retraction of said plunger, said means being effective simultaneously with said-` actuation of said device, to cause opening of av vent into said breather passageway from said reservoir near the front end of the reservoir.

14. In a fountain pen an elongata'hollow barrel. a pen nib and feed means at the front end of f said barrel. said feed means including an everflow ink collector adapted to receive and retain a quantity of ink. the interior of said barrel at the` rear o-f said feed means constituting an ink reservoir in communication with said feed means.- af

breather conduit extending backwardly from said feed means through said reservoir and openingfront end of the reservo-ir, means defining apas- `into said reservoir at a point remote frcm'theV sageway for connecting the interior of-"saidf breather conduit with the interior of said reser-Y Voir, both ends of saidv passageway being near the front end of the reservoir, an air displace'- ment member for filling the pen comprising a' plunger located in the rear of the barrel and reciprocable lengthwise thereof between a forward position and aretracted position, and means op-v erative to close said passageway near the `begin- 1 ning of and responsive to each forward movement of said plunger from its fully retracted position and further operative to keep said passageway closed at least until said plunger has substantially completed its forward movement, said passageway being open at least when said plunger is in its retracted position.

15. In a fountain pen, an elongate, hollow barrel, a pen nib and feed means at the front end of said barrel, means defining a reservoir within said barrel at the rear of said feed means and in communication therewith, an air displacement device for filling said reservoir, a breather conduit connected to and extending backwardly from said feed means through said reservoir and opening into said reservoir at a point remote from the front end of the reservoir, said displacement device being operative to force air out of said reservoir through said breather conduit, means dening a passageway for interconnecting said reservoir, at a point near the front end thereof, with the interior of said conduit at a point near the front end of the reservoir, and means operative in response to actuation of said displacement device temporarily to close said passage to prevent discharge of ink therethrough at least while said displacement device is forcing air out of the reservoir, and means for shifting said displacement device beyond its filling stroke to open said passage to vent the forward end of said reservoir to atmosphere when the pen is in a point up position.

16. In a fountain pen, an elongate, hollow barrel, a pen nib and feed means at the front end of said barrel, means defining a reservoir within said barrel at the rear of said feed means and in communication therewith, a filling device comprising a plunger disposed within and reciprocable lengthwise of said barrel between a forward position and a retracted position in said barrel, a breather conduit connected to and extending backwardly from said feed means through said reservoir and opening into said reservoir at a point remote from the front end of the reservoir, means defining a passageway for interconnecting said reservoir, at a point near the front end thereof, with the interior of said conduit at a point near the front end of the reservoir, and means connected with said plunger for closing said passageway and maintaining it closed at least throughout a large part of each forward movement of said plunger, said means being operative to open said passageway and to maintain it open while said plunger is in its retracted position.

17. In a fountain pen, an elongate, hollow barrel, a pen nib and feed means at the front end of said barrel, means defining a reservoir within said barrel at the rear of said feed means and in communication therewith, a filling device comprising a plunger disposed within and reciprocable lengthwise of said barrel between a forward position and a retracted position in said barrel, a breather tube within and extending lengthwise of said reservoir, said breather tube being in telescopic engagment with said feed means at its front end and connected at its rear end to said plunger and reciprocable therewith, said breather tube opening into said reservoir near its rear end and having a lateral aperture near its front end for forming a passageway from said reservoir into the tube, said aperture being so placed that it is closed by entry into said feed means shortly after said plunger has commenced a forward movement from its retracted position.

18. In a fountain pen, an elongate, hollow barrel, a pen nib and feed means at the front end of said barrel, said feed means including a collector adapted to receive and retain a quantity of ink, the interior of said barrel at the rear of said feed means constituting an ink reservoir in communication with said feed means, mechanism for filling the pen comprising a spring-retracted hollow plunger located in the rear of the barrel and reciprocable lengthwise thereof, said plunger projecting from the rear end of the barrel to form a finger-operated pushbutton having an axial opening to permit access to the interior of the plunger, an elongate latch member disposed within said plunger and extending lengthwise thereof, said latch member being movable with said plunger, a latch bar carried by said barrel and extending crosswise through said plunger, said latch member having a shoulder adapted to engage said bar to check retraction of said plunger at a point intermediate of the two ends of its maximum stroke, said latch member being pivotally anchored at its rear end and spring-biased toward latching engagement with said bar, a lcap detachably connected to the rear end of said barrel and having an axial pin extending forwardly through said axial opening into engagement with said latch member when said cap is in its position on said barrel, said pin being operative, in response to replacement of said cap on said barrel, to deflect said latch member out of engagement with said bar whereby to release said plunger and thus enable further retraction thereof, said cap when in its position on said barrel serving as a cover for said pushbutton, and a b.eather tube connected at one end to said plunger and reciprocable therewith, the other end of said breather tube being telescopically connected to said feed means, said breather tube opening near its rear end into said reservoir and having a, lateral aperture near its front end which opens into said reservoir when said tube and plunger are fully retracted, but which is closed by said feed means when said tube and plunger are moved forwardly fro-rn their fully retracted positions.

RUSSELL T. WING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,904,358 Dahlberg Apr. 18, 1933 2,223,541 Baker Dec. 3, 1940 2,187,528 Wing Jan. 16, 1940 

